Distance controlled indicator system



y 1935- R. A. HEISING 2,009,693

DISTANCE CONTROLLED INDICATOR SYSTEM Filed Feb. 16, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l Wye/270m July 30, 1935. R HEISING DISTANCE CONTROLLED INDICATOR SYSTEM Filed Feb. 16, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M AM m avfm Patented July 30, 1935 PATENT OFFICE DISTANCE CONTROLLED INDICATOR SYSTEM Raymond A. Heising, Millbnrn, N. J., assignor of one-half to James P. Kendall, Cranford, N. J.

Application February 16, 1934, Serial No. 693,158 7 3 Claims.

This invention relates to direction indicators for moving vehicles.

An object of the invention is to provide for the iving of an indication by the operator of a moving vehicle and subsequent withdrawal of the indication after the vehicle has traveled a predetermined distance without further attention on the part of the operator. A corollary object is to provide for the cancellation of the indication by the operator at any time prior to the expiration of the predetermined time.

The invention is exemplified in one form thereof by an arrangement adapted to give simultaneous front and rear indications on an automobile of the direction in which the driver is about to turn. A movable element, on the steering post for example, may be moved to the right or left to indicate the drivers intention to turn in one of those directions, respectively. A signal holding mechanism then functions to lock andhold the indication for a predetermined distance of travel, for example 50, 100, or 150 feet, after which the movable element is restored to normal and the signal canceled without further attention on the part of the operator who thus has his mind, hands, and feet free to attend to his driving controls except for the small instant of time necessary to operate the movable indicator control element.

Other objects are to provide for rear distanceof-travel-controlled automobile signal lights with a flashing pilot light before the operator to give a positive indication at the beginning and end of each signal given in the rear or during the continuance thereof, to provide positive and effective distance controlled rear signal indications, and to provide simple, compact, and convenient apparains for carrying the foregoing and other objects into effect.

The invention is further illustrated in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a top plan view partly broken away to show the main elements of a control device for direction indicating lights in unoperated position.

Fig. 2is a side view of the operating parts in unoperated position.

Fig. 3 is a side view of thesame parts in the position assumed just after the giving of an indi- N cation. a v

Fig. 4 is a similar view of the same parts in the position assumed just after the giving of an indication. but under the special condition wherein the restoring ratchet teethsdo not at once Fig. 5 illustrates the manner in which the pilot light contact is operated.

Figs. 6 and 7 show diagrammatically the positions of main contacts under the conditions of left-hand and right-hand turn indications, respec- 5 tively.

Fig. 8 is a circuit diagram of front, rear, and pilot lights, and Figs. 9 and 10 are modified circuit diagrams.

Fig. 11 shows the general arrangement of at- 10. tachment of the device and its drive by the speedometer shaft.

- Fig. 12 shows thespecific drive mechanism as attached to the speedometer shaft.

Fig. 13 is either a front or a rear view of a form of front light housing whereby the front lights serve as pilot lights in such a circuit as that of Fig. 9, for example.

By referring preliminarily to Fig. 8, the general plan of operation of the system may be comprehended. The driver wishing to turn to the right operates mechanism to close circuits through a front right light RF and a rear right light RR. After a predetermined distance of travel, the lights are extinguished automatically. For a left turn the left front and left rear lights LF and LR lights are lighted. In either case, a pilot light P flashes at the beginning and end of each signaling indication. As the pilot light cannot flash unless the rear lights are operating properly, the driver is assured of this fact which is much to his advantage in case of another driver negligently colliding with him from the rear or from the side as he is about to turn. When the rear lights are not operating properly, the driver is at once apprised of that fact.

The main contacts l0 and I l (Figs. 6 and '7) are controlled by cams l2 and 13 mounted on shaft H to which is attached handle l5. When handle I5 is turned to the left, the left contacts H) are closed. When handle I5 is turned to the right, the right contacts H are closed. The mechanism for restoring the contacts III, II the handle l5; and the cams l2, iii to then unoperated position, is shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 will now be described in detail. The control apparatus is mounted in a casing 29 mounted upon the steering post S. The operating handle I5 is rigidly attached to shaft (spindle or pintle) M as are cams l2, l3 and IS. The handle l5 when turned to the right closes contacts II, and when to the left closes contacts H). In traveling to either its left or right position, the cam-shaped lug on handle I5, I 1 passes from under the pivoted latch bar l8 and f allows the latch bar I8 to fall down and the contact I 05 to be closed as soon as the pivoted arm I9 moves backwardly to engage the notch 25 but the contact Iilfi is not closed until after the principal contacts It or I I have closed and is opened again when the handle I5 is restored before the contacts ID or H have opened.

When handle I5 is turned to the right, the right-hand part of cam I5 engages pivoted arm I9 and compresses spring 20. Spring 20 tends to move the elements I9 forward and 2I backward about their common axis 22. The elements I9 and 2| are pivoted upon the axis 22 but arefree;

to move independently. When they approach each other they compress the spring 20. Gear wheel 23 is journaled upon element 2| 7 and is advanced so that its teeth engage the teethof the driving worm 24 (Fig. 3) or merely contact therewith (Fig. 4). In the latter case, the teeth engage properly after the worm 24 has made a half of a revolution, more or less, because the arm I9 has become engaged in the notch 25 ofthe latch arm I8, and consequently the spring 20 remains compressed, as shown in Fig'. 4, and continues to urge the member 2i backward.

As soon as the teeth of the gear 23 and'the worm'24 have become engaged, the worm, which is driven at a' rate proportional to the speed of the vehicle, begins to turn the gear 23 against the tension of the spring 26. It is immaterial in which direction the gear 23 is turned'b ecause in either direction the pin 21 will, after a certain distance of travel which will be about'the same in either case, engage the latch arm I8 and move it in an upward direction which will release the arm I9 fromthe notch 25. The spring 26 will then pull the gear 23 from engagement with the worm gear 24. The element I9 will push the handle I5 back to its central position by pushing upon' the cam I6. All the signal lights and the pilot lights are then extinguished. The entire cycle of operations may then be repeated by pushing the'handle I5 either to the left or to the right.

The worm gear 24' is'mounted in ball bearings held in place by lugs 23 struck up from thecasing 29 and maybe driven by a'bevel gear 30 (Fig. 12) andshaft 3i connected to another gear in the usual speedometer drive shaft 32 which is housed in the flexible conduit 33, although any other method of driving the gear 24 by and'in proportion to the movement of the vehicle will suffice. It is contemplated that the gear 24 may be driven by being connected to any part of the vehicle which will cause it to; be driven in accordance with the speed thereof or approximately so.

By referring to the circuit of Fig. 8, the manner of giving an indication will be outlined. When handle I5 is moved, to the right for example, the contacts II will be closed. This will cause the right front and right rear signal lights RFand RR, respectively, to be energized and lighted. For a brief instant, the contact I will remain open after the contacts II have closed and the low voltage or low current'pilot lamp P'will flash before the operator, thereby indicating to him that the rear signal light is receiving current. Immediately thereafter, the contact IIlD is closed and the lamp P is'short circuited, thereby placing the full voltage across the lamp RR. After traveling the distance for which the device is set to operate,the pin 21 will strike the pivoted latch bar I8 and the cam I6 will restore the handle'I5 to its central position. Just before contacts I I are opened, the contact I III} is opened and the pilot light P flashes again after which the com tacts II open and the lamps are all out. A short circuit as well as an open circuit between the lampP and the lamp RR will be indicated by inoperative condition of the pilot light P because, in the latter case, the lamp P will be burned out by the excessive voltage and no flash of the pilot light P will result in either case.

For a left-hand signal, the handle I will be and LF are placed in series on one side and RR and RF on the other'side. A single contact I0 and a single contact I I are all that arenecessary. By placing the front lamps in a casing 34 (Fig. 13) mounted on'the front of the vehicle in view of r the driver, they will not only serve to indicate to trafiic officers or others the direction about to be taken but will also serve as pilot lamps for r the rear lights by placing in the rearof the housing 34 openings or transparent glass portions L35 and R35 respectively just back of the correspond ing lights LF and RF. It is understood, of course, that thefront of the casing 34 will contain similar or'other suitably designed transparent windows through which signals or front indications are given as to the direction about to be taken. In other Words the view in Fig.'l3 may represent the front as well as the rear appearance of the casing containing the front signal lamps LF'and In Fig. 10 is a circuit arrangement in which two pilot lights, one right and one left are used. These are in series with their respective rear lights and the combination thus formed is in parallel with the front signal lights. For a right-hand indication, the pilot lamp RP glows before the driver and for a left-hand indication, the pilot lamp LP glows thus indicating that the rear signals ar'e operating properly. The pilot lights RP and LP may in this case be placed in a small casing of theform of that in Fig. 13 placed in any suitable position before the driver. In operation, the operator is not only able to give anindication of a proposed turn at any time by a single simple motion of the hand orflfinger but is able to cancel the indication at any time by moving the handle I5 to the normal middleposition where it is held by the spring 20 which presses element I9 against the flattened rear surface I6 of cam I6. Lug I1 rises lever I8, allowing spring 26 to" restore the mechanism. When this is done, the apparatus is at once conditioned to repeat the indication or to give theopposite indication. When not canceled by the driver, the in"- dication isalways maintained until the required distance of travel has supervened.

:By providing a series of screw threaded holes a, a(Fig. 2) the apparatus may be adjusted for different distances of travel by placing pins similar to pin 21 in the proper hole. If the device is to work at the same distances for'either direction of rotation of shaft 24, two pins should beplaced at equal angular distances from the bar I8. However, as the direction of rotation of shaft 24 can of parts believed to be inherent in the invention are defined in the appended claims. I claim:

1. A system for setting direction indicating lights including signal lights, a rotating gear, a gear driven thereby, means including an operating handle for engaging said gears, means controlled by the operation of said means for causing said signal lights to be energized, means including a mechanical latch for retaining said gears in contact, means whereby said gear releases said latch, and means operated by the release of said latch to deenergize said lights.

2. In combination, a signal light, contacts in circuit therewith, means including an operating handle for controlling said contacts, a movable member, a gear mounted in said movable member, means including a cam movable with said handle whereby said handle upon moving moves said member and engages said gear with another gear, locking means for holding said gear in engagement, means actuated by rotation of said other gear to release said locking means, and means under tension for restoring said movably mounted gear and said handle.

3. In combination, a vehicle, rightand lefthand signal lights therefor, means for selectively lighting one or the other thereof, an element movable when not locked to extinguish said selected light, means for moving said element to locking position upon energization of either of said lights, locking means for locking said element from moving to extinguish either of said lights when selected and lighted, and means continually operating by and proportionally to the operating speed of said vehicle and effectively coupled to other mechanism upon the lighting of one of said lights to release said element for motion to extinguish the selected light by disengaging said locking means by forcible mechanical operation thereof.

RAYMOND. A. HEISING. 

